Gomba school reopens week after fatal truck crash

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Activities at Kasaka SS were suspended for a week to give children time to heal from shock after a truck crashed into a classroom block, killing four students.

Lessons have today resumed at Kasaka Secondary School in Gomba District, a week after a tragic incident left four students dead and 20 others injured.

However, relatively few learners reported on Monday as many others remained home under recovery from shock, according to school authorities.

The tragic incident happened on March 14, 2023 after a SinoTruk truck knocked down a school perimeter fence and rammed into a computer laboratory before it proceeded to the Senior Four West classroom block killing students.

The wreckage of a truck that crashed into a classroom block, killing four students and injuring 20 others at Kasaka Secondary School in Kanoni Town Council, Gomba District on March 14, 2023. PHOTO/ BRIAN ADAMS KESIIME

Following the incident, school activities were suspended for a week to give children time to heal from shock.

According to the Gomba District Inspector of Schools, Mr Charles Lwanga, the traumatized students have started receiving psychosocial support so that they can resume their studies.

“The district has got some counsellors who are trying to help the students avoid trauma-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress,” he said.

“I request the parents to bring back their children because lessons have already resumed,” he added.

Mr Wilberforce Ssekasiko, the school director of studies, said out of 800 students, only 300 had reported by Monday afternoon.

“In Senior Four only 30 students out of 109 have reported so far. For now, all Senior Four students are studying together due to limited space. When all students turn up, we will be forced to roof one of the rooms to accommodate all of them,” he noted.

Some of the injured students who spoke to Monitor said they had to report back to school to resume lessons so that they can compete favorably with students in other schools who have been studying.

“Construction works at the damaged buildings are currently ongoing, however the school still needs items like computers and desks,” according to Mr Ssekasiko.

Some old students have started extending assistance to their former school.

Ms Betty Ssentamu, a former Gomba District Woman MP aspirant and one of the old students contributed 10 bags of cement to enable the school administration reconstruct the damaged structures.

“After watching the magnitude of the human and material disaster that befell my school, I got touched and that is why I have contributed the little I had to assist the school management,” she said.